gnome-user-share 0.22 now has ObexFTP and ObexPush support. gnome-obex-server is deprecated.

Browsing files on a remote device

Catalina took loads of pictures with her mobile phone on an evening out, and wants to see the pictures on her computer, removing the bad-looking ones, and uploading the ones she likes on flickr.

Possible solutions:

Browse device menu item is in Fedora 8

Pre-Fedora 9 solution: gnome-vfs2-obexftp

Rawhide's nautilus uses GVFS, support is in gvfs.

PIM (appointments, contacts) synchronisation (Palm)

Darnell's Palm has all his details, but he wants to synchronise the data with his computer and phones, in case he loses one of them while travelling.

Possible solutions:

gnome-pilot

Pre-Fedora 9 solution: None

gnome-pilot 2.0.16 has Bluetooth synchronisation builtin.

Documentation

This is documentation for features/use cases where the process differs from previous releases.

Browsing files on a remote device

Prerequisites:

gnome-vfs2-obexftp (Fedora 8) or gvfs 0.1.9 (Fedora 9)

nautilus

bluez-gnome

In your panel, right-click on the Bluetooth icon, and select the Browse device... menu item. This will bring up a list of devices in the vicinity, as well as known devices. Select the one you want to browse, and click Connect.

Sending files via Obex Push

Prerequisites:

bluez-gnome

nautilus-sendto

Right-click on a file or files in nautilus and click "Send to...", and select a destination device.

Receiving/Sharing files via ObexFTP and ObexPush

Prerequisites:

gnome-user-share

Select Share Public files over Bluetooth (ObexFTP) or Receive files in Downloads folder over Bluetooth (ObexPush) in the Personal File Sharing preferences.

Remote controls (PS3 Blu-Ray remote)

Prerequisites:

bluez-utils 3.29

To use the remote control with your computer:
1. Make the remote discoverable by pressing the Enter and Start buttons at the same time
1. Right-click on the Bluetooth icon in your panel and select Preferences. In the Services tab, select the input service, and make sure it is started. Click on Add below. Select the device you want to add, and click Connect.

Release Notes

The bluetooth feature in Fedora 9 has several enhancements specific to this release. The future of this feature is covered with greater detail at:

File sending to a Bluetooth device is now handled with the bluetooth-sendto))) program from the <code>bluez-gnome package, which replaces gnome-obex-send. Send a file in Nautilus from the Send to... function in the right-click context menu.

Receiving files from a Bluetooth device is now included in gnome-user-share, which has ObexFTP and ObexPush support built-in. Share files via System > Preferences > Internet and Network > Personal File Sharing > Share Public files over Bluetooth (ObexFTP support), or receive files using ObexPush with Personal File Sharing > Receive files in Downloads folter over Bluetooth.

Synchronizing a Bluetooth Palm device with Evolution is done using gnome-pilot

Files on the remote Bluetooth device can be viewed directly in Nautilus through GVFS, which supports Bluetooth devices. Browsing of Bluetooth devices is done via the right-click context menu from the Bluetooth icon on the desktop panel.

PS3 Blu-ray remotes are also supported in the same manner as other Bluetooth input devices.